Russian Orloffs

[ChickenDuckQuail]

My Orloffs are 6.5 weeks old. I'm new to this breed and fairly new to chicken raising in general. How would you even begin to determine this chick's sex?

 

[InterestingChickens]

Pullets. A good way too tell the sex at at young age is redness of combs and wattle growth/development.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Orloffs are difficult to sex but I'm pretty sure this one is a cockerel

 

[orloffer]

My Orloffs are 6.5 weeks old. I'm new to this breed and fairly new to chicken raising in general. How would you even begin to determine this chick's sex?

It is still a bit early to tell for sure, especially as Orloffs are known for maturing slowly. The pinkness of the comb and iridescent feather on the tail have me thinking the spangled bird could be a cockerel, though. Hens of this breed have no iridescent feathers.

 

[ChickenDuckQuail]

It is still a bit early to tell for sure, especially as Orloffs are known for maturing slowly. The pinkness of the comb and iridescent feather on the tail have me thinking the spangled bird could be a cockerel, though. Hens of this breed have no iridescent feathers.

Thanks! Now I'm going to check the whole flock for iridescent feathers. I know it's all "educated guessing" at this point, but I cant help but wonder!

 

[Avettfan]

My guess is cockerel based on the comb development. The comb doesn’t look to have much color but it looks pretty pronounced. And I see an iridescent feather in the tail. However, I actually have an Orloff (about 11 weeks old) and I’m still wondering what gender I have. Some say definitely cockerel while others (including the breeder I got it from) says pullet. Mine too has a few iridescent feathers but the farm said it’s normal for any black feather to have an iridescent sheen to it and it doesn’t determine sex in this breed. I don’t know, it’s so confusing. There’s not much info on Orloffs to go by either. You have beautiful birds!!!!

 

[orloffer]

Thanks! Now I'm going to check the whole flock for iridescent feathers. I know it's all "educated guessing" at this point, but I cant help but wonder!

My guess is cockerel based on the comb development. The comb doesn’t look to have much color but it looks pretty pronounced. And I see an iridescent feather in the tail. However, I actually have an Orloff (about 11 weeks old) and I’m still wondering what gender I have. Some say definitely cockerel while others (including the breeder I got it from) says pullet. Mine too has a few iridescent feathers but the farm said it’s normal for any black feather to have an iridescent sheen to it and it doesn’t determine sex in this breed. I don’t know, it’s so confusing. There’s not much info on Orloffs to go by either. You have beautiful birds!!!!

True, I guess it is possible for any black feather to have an iridescent sheen to it. I have never seen it on an Orloff hen, but then again, I am just basing my observations on my own hen and pictures from the Internet. We'll just have to wait and see!

 

[ChickenDuckQuail]

My guess is cockerel based on the comb development. The comb doesn’t look to have much color but it looks pretty pronounced. And I see an iridescent feather in the tail. However, I actually have an Orloff (about 11 weeks old) and I’m still wondering what gender I have. Some say definitely cockerel while others (including the breeder I got it from) says pullet. Mine too has a few iridescent feathers but the farm said it’s normal for any black feather to have an iridescent sheen to it and it doesn’t determine sex in this breed. I don’t know, it’s so confusing. There’s not much info on Orloffs to go by either. You have beautiful birds!!!!

Thanks for the feedback! Guess I'll just have to wait and see.